J&J's Crucell halts supply of 2.36 million flu vaccines to Italy

PARIS (Reuters) - Crucell, the vaccines unit of U.S. drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, has suspended a delivery of 2.36 million seasonal flu vaccine doses to Italy after it found problems with two lots of it, the Italian health ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry said in a statement that the Netherlands-based vaccine maker halted the planned supply of its Inflexal V vaccine after two lots out of 32 failed quality checks.

Crucell was not immediately available for comment.

Italy's flu vaccination campaign will start as planned because health authorities will fill in the shortfall by purchasing more doses from other manufacturers, the statement said.

Italy uses between 10 and 12 million doses of flu vaccines every year, the health ministry said.